By Rich Benvin 
Even an excellent article from a writer who has never met you will read slightly generic. Twenty minutes of focused editing fixes that, and it is the highest-return time you will spend on content.
1. Rewrite the first three sentences (5 minutes)
Openings carry the most voice. Rewrite them the way you would say them to a customer. Keep the answer up front; change the words.
2. Add one thing only you know (5 minutes)
A result from your business, a customer question you hear every week, a photo of your own setup, a mistake you made. One specific, first-hand detail does more for trust than any amount of polish.
3. Swap generic examples for yours (4 minutes)
If the article says “a small bakery” and you sell bike parts, change the example. Use your products, your customers’ situations and your prices where you can.
4. Fix the call to action (2 minutes)
Point the ending at your next step: your product, your newsletter, a related article on your site. Add two or three internal links while you are there.
5. Read it aloud once (4 minutes)
Anything you would not say out loud, rewrite. Anything you stumble over, shorten.
Make it repeatable
Write down your brand voice in five lines: words you use, words you avoid, how formal you are, how you address the reader, and one sample paragraph. Send it with every order. On ArticleReserve, paste it into the notes when you reserve a title, or the brief box when you order a custom article, and the editor will apply it before delivery.
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